Aftermath of Hurricane Arthur Threatens Local Beaches

Posted:
Saturday, July 5, 2014 5:25 PM EDT

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. – Fortunately for us here on Delmarva, we were able to dodge Hurricane Arthur’s path. However, with many people heading to the beaches for the Fourth of July holiday weekend, there’s a new problem to look out for: Rip Currents.

Cody Quig lives in Wilmington, but every summer for the past five years he comes down to Rehoboth Beach to patrol the beaches as a lifeguard.

"I love it,” said Quig. “I wouldn't change it for the world."

This weekend his job got a little busier. Hurricane Arthur is gone, but the threat of the hurricane lingers within the ocean waters.

"Rip currents are a problem every day,” said Quig. “We always worry about them. Today they're not as bad as we thought they would be, but you should always be on the look out for them."

And that’s exactly what many did. Some watched from the shore while others enjoyed the waves of the ocean.

For some tourists, they were a little cautious before getting in.

"If the waves are low then yeah I’ll go out,” said Michael Hansan of Bethesda. “But if not then I’ll stay aware because of the rip currents."

Before entering the beach there are caution signs for rip currents. Captain Kent Buckson of the Rehoboth Beach Patrol says keeping an eye on the water and staying in touch with the lifeguards is important. If you are caught in a rip current staying calm is key.

"Usually when people panic they loose all train of thought, they're not sure what to do,” said Captain Buckson. “So if they can remain calm and not panic the rip current is going to pull them out but it's not going to pull them under. So they can literally just ride the rip current out and wait for it to dissolve and the swim back in."

While the crowds of people are enjoying the waters, lifeguards remain on patrol and on the look out for any trouble.

In this Aug. 28, 2017, file photo rescue boats float on a flooded street as people are evacuated from rising floodwaters brought on by Tropical Storm Harvey. U.S. government forecasters are expecting an active Atlantic hurricane season.

In this Aug. 28, 2017, file photo rescue boats float on a flooded street as people are evacuated from rising floodwaters brought on by Tropical Storm Harvey. U.S. government forecasters are expecting an active Atlantic hurricane season.

U.S. government forecasters said Thursday that they expect an active Atlantic hurricane season - an announcement that came as odds increased that the first tropical weather system of the year was forming in the Gulf of Mexico.More

U.S. government forecasters said Thursday that they expect an active Atlantic hurricane season - an announcement that came as odds increased that the first tropical weather system of the year was forming in the Gulf of Mexico. More

OCEAN CITY, Md--In Worcester County, Ocean City officials are beefing up security this summer by installing new boardwalk barriers. "We're installing barriers to prevent vehicles from accessing the boardwalk, we want to make sure that we are better safe tMore

Ocean City officials are beefing up security this summer by installing new boardwalk barriers. More

Members of the Delaware legislature's budget-writing committee have approved spending $23 million to give state employees $500 bonuses next year, on top of pay raises proposed by Democratic Gov. John Carney.More

Members of the Delaware legislature's budget-writing committee have approved spending $23 million to give state employees $500 bonuses next year, on top of pay raises proposed by Democratic Gov. John Carney.More

Traffic using the 500 block of Race Street in Cambridge is being diverted so that structural engineers can determine the stability of the building at 507 Race Street, which partially collapsed Wednesday afternoon, according to city officials.

Traffic using the 500 block of Race Street in Cambridge is being diverted so that structural engineers can determine the stability of the building at 507 Race Street, which partially collapsed Wednesday afternoon, according to city officials.